March 15, 2010

Duquesne Game Notes

Complete WNIT Bracket

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern embarks on its first postseason journey in 13 years when it rolls out the carpet for Atlantic 10 foe Duquesne Thursday at 7 p.m. The first round game will be carried live on the Big Ten Network with Brent Stover and Patricia Babcock McGraw on the call. The winner of Thursday's contest will face the victor of St. Bonaventure vs. Robert Morris at a date and time yet to be determined.

Tickets can be purchased on the day of the event only. Prices are $8 general admission and $5 for youth 17 and under. For further ticket information, please contact Northwestern's ticket office at 847-491-CATS. Northwestern undergraduate students can show their Wildcard at the door to receive a FREE ticket compliments of Northwestern Women's Basketball. FREE Buffalo Wild Wings for all undergraduate students will also be provided starting at 6:30 up in the N Club.

Fans who are unable to watch the game but wish to stay up-to-date on the action in Thursday's game can do so by following the username @NU_sportsLIVE on Twitter. The game will be broadcast live on WNUR 89.3FM.

"It's a great opportunity for our program and a big step to be in the postseason and in the WNIT," head coach Joe McKeown said. "When you look at how quickly our players responded to the challenge of a new coaching staff, it just speaks volumes to them as a group, and to be one of the teams who are still playing in the postseason is a great honor for Northwestern. We are really excited about the opportunity to play at home against a team we have great respect for (in Duquesne). We've had great fan support all season and it's a great step for the program overall."

The Postseason WNIT will open with first-round games Wednesday through Friday, March 17-19. The event culminates Saturday, April 3 with the championship. For complete coverage of the event, please visit the WNIT Championship Website.

For a complete bracket, please click on the PDF above.

Opponent profile
Duquesne Dukes
• 2009-10 Record: 20-12, 9-5
• Conference: Atlantic 10
• Series History: First meeting

About Duquesne
• The Dukes enter Thursday's game with an overall record of 20-12 and an Atlantic 10 mark of 9-5. Duquesne, which holds an RPI of 112, advanced to the semifinals of the A-10 Conference Tourney with a 61-58 overtime victory against George Washington before falling in the title tilt to Temple. The Owls received an eighth seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• This is the second-consecutive year Duquesne has participated in the WNIT, and last season's berth was the first ever postseason escapade for the Dukes. In 2009, DU fell to Butler by the slimmest of margins, 59-58.
• DU has dropped four out of its last six contests.
• Junior Samantha Pollino paces the DU with 12.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg while sophomore Alex Gensler and senior Kery Pryor are also turning in double-figure efforts with 11.9 and 11.3 ppg, respectively.

The Last Time NU Was In The Postseason...
The last time the Wildcats made it to postseason play was in the 1996-97 campaign. Ironically enough, Northwestern lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to George Washington (61-46), which was coached by current NU mentor Joe McKeown. Northwestern's experience in the WNIT came the year before (1995-96) when they defeated Illinois State (93-71) and LSU (79-75) before falling to Arizona in the championship matchup, 79-63. In total, Northwestern has played 17 postseason games in 10 seasons. This is the first time the Wildcats have hosted a WNIT event.

Northwestern Against The Top 100 RPI
The Wildcats have three wins against teams in the top 50 RPI (as of 3.14.10) and 10 victories over squads with an RPI of 100 or better. After finishing last season with an RPI of 238, Northwestern currently comes in at 97.

As Marshall Goes, So Do The 'Cats
Consider it a given that Amy Jaeschke and Kendall Hackney are going to put up some pretty solid numbers more often than not. However, if you really want a barometer as to how the Wildcats will fare, keep an eye on Beth Marshall. Northwestern is 6-2 when the junior hits three or more triples and is 9-3 when she knocks down two. Marshall has connected on a three-pointer in all but eight games this season and hit six in NU's victory against Indiana on Feb. 18 and eight against Arkansas on Dec. 17.

Complete game notes can be found by clicking on the PDF above.